It Was Only Logical
by Ster J
Summary: Spock wants to write a song for a special someone, and he asks Uhura for help and advice.


TITLE: IT WAS ONLY LOGICAL  
AUTHOR: Ster Julie  
Characters: Spock, Uhura, Christine  
Rating: PG  
Genre: Romance  
  
DISCLAIMER: Don't own Trek. Wish I did.  
It may own ME, however.  
  
A challenge from GOOD TWIN/EVIL TWIN. Thank you!  
  
It was the first Thursday night of the month and the Recreation Room  
was buzzing with anticipation. It was Concert Night.  
  
Now, some of the crew were classically trained musicians, First  
Officer Spock and Communications Officer Lieutenant Uhura being two  
of many. Others were natural talents who had not had the benefit of  
voice or music lessons. Then there were those who loved to get up  
on stage, even though their voices were better suited for the shower.  
  
Inspired by their encounter with Mr. Flynt, Spock traded his Vulcan  
harp this evening for the ship's very adequate grand piano. Dressed  
in a soft midnight velour tunic and slacks, he showcased some of the  
never-before-heard compositions of the man once known as Brahms,  
Tchaikovsky, Bernstein, and more. It was a moving tribute to the  
once eternal, but now very mortal man who had first been a soldier  
in ancient Greece.  
  
If Spock's performance gave a somber solemnity to the concert, it  
was quickly forgotten by Uhura's rowdy, bawdy performance of show  
tunes and love songs. Whereas Spock's performance drew polite  
applause, Uhura received a raucous ovation.  
  
Spock spent the remainder of the evening contemplating the disparity  
in the crew's reaction during his and Uhura's performances. He  
found that he was curious about the differences in the crew's  
response.  
  
Before he knew it, the formal portion of the concert was over. The  
finale was usually all of the musicians on stage in one impromptu  
piece.  
  
"Do you know anything less highbrow, Spock?" McCoy teased.  
  
Without taking his eyes from McCoy, Spock played a very bluesy  
rendition of "Georgia On My Mind," which quickly turned into a sing-  
along, at least, for those who knew the words. Again, Spock noted  
the crowd's reaction and made a decision.  
  
"Lieutenant Uhura?" he called softly after the performers' last bow.  
  
"Yes?" she replied, turning toward him.  
  
"I have a musical question for you." He said. "When would be a good  
time to discuss it?"  
  
Uhura thanked the last of her well-wishers and gave the Vulcan her  
full attention.  
  
"Perhaps if you asked your question," she began, puzzled, "I would  
know how much time to set aside for our discussion."  
  
Spock nodded.  
  
"Fair enough," he replied. "I noticed tonight that your songs  
evoked a greater response than the newly discovered works of Mr.  
Flynt."  
  
Uhura was confused. Was Spock saying that he was jealous that she  
got a bigger round of applause than he did?  
  
"Do humans place a greater value on songs with words over  
instrumental pieces?" Spock asked.  
  
Uhura thought a moment. She wanted to give Spock a proper answer.  
  
"Mr. Spock," she began, "we humans need more time to process  
instrumental music. We have to figure out what it is saying to us."  
  
"Saying?" Spock repeated, puzzled. Uhura nodded.  
  
"Music can evoke an emotional response," she continued. "On the  
other hand, a song can tell us immediately what it means through its  
lyrics."  
  
"Ah," Spock replied. Uhura looked at Spock askance.  
  
"Don't Vulcan songs evoke a similar response?" she asked. "Or are  
they all logical?"  
  
"Like any other culture," Spock began, "Vulcan music has a broad  
range of styles. Some are logical, while others are not."  
  
Uhura looked around playfully.  
  
"And which style do you like, Mr. Spock?" she asked in a  
conspiratorial manner, as if his answer would hold a secret truth.  
Spock raised an eyebrow at the lieutenant's odd behavior, and then  
he noted the playful twinkle in her eye. He leaned in and copied  
her pose.  
  
"I 'like' none of the styles," he whispered back, "but I appreciate  
many of them."  
  
Uhura leaned back and laughed aloud, shaking her head.  
  
"Who knew you were so funny?" she chuckled.  
  
Spock paused for a moment. The hour was late and he knew that they  
both had alpha shift the next day. It would be logical to continue  
this discussion at another time.  
  
"Lieutenant," he began, "I have more that I wish to discuss on this  
topic. When could we continue this talk?" Uhura thought a moment.  
  
"How about after shift tomorrow?" she suggested.  
  
"I have a department meeting at 1600 hours, Spock replied. Perhaps  
after that?"  
  
"I have something at 2000 hours," Uhura answered as she  
thought. "How about during dinner? We could 'meet and eat.'"  
  
"As a rule," Spock began uncomfortably, "Vulcans eat in silence, but  
perhaps I can find an appropriate compromise."  
  
Uhura chuckled softly at Spock's, well, Spock-ness.  
  
"Good night, Mr. Spock," she said as she patted his arm. "I'll see  
you in the morning."  
  
"Good night, Lieutenant," he replied.  
  
The next day's shift was so uneventful to be downright boring.  
Uhura found herself thinking back to the discussion she and Spock  
had had the night before about music. She stopped him with a touch  
as he passed her station.  
  
"The anticipation is killing me, Mr. Spock," she began. Spock just  
looked at her, not understanding what in the galaxy she was talking  
about. "What did you want to discuss further?" she added. "About  
music?"  
  
Spock briefly contemplated admonishing Uhura about keeping her mind  
on her work before replying.  
  
"I have been having difficulty in one of my compositions," he said  
softly. "I was hoping to show my work to you, and perhaps to gain a  
new perspective."  
  
"Ooh, now I am intrigued, Mr. Spock," Uhura bantered  
playfully. "What sort of compositional difficulties?"  
  
"I am trying to write a song," he replied, his voiced pitched even  
softer. "With lyrics."  
  
Uhura batted her eyes at the First Officer.  
  
"Why, Mr. Spock," she nearly cooed, "You have to be inspired to  
write lyrics."  
  
"I am," he said enigmatically. Uhura fanned her lashes again.  
  
"Is it I, Sugar?" she whispered, smiling coyly.  
  
"Not at this time," Spock replied as he gave Uhura his most  
inscrutable gaze. Uhura did not miss the tell-tale twinkle in  
Spock's eye. She pretended to be hurt and sniffed.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mr. Spock," she began, "but I will be unable to help  
you."  
  
Spock leaned closer and whispered, "If I promise to write the next  
song for you, will you reconsider?"  
  
Uhura looked up and saw the silent plea in Spock's eyes. She could  
se this was really important to him. She nodded and patted his arm.  
  
"I'll help you," Uhura promised. "Are we still meeting at 1800  
hours?"  
  
"Yes," Spock nodded, straightening, "In the Recreation Room."  
  
"Is something wrong?"  
  
Spock and Uhura exchanged glances and turned toward the voice of  
their Captain.  
  
"No, sir," Spock replied. Kirk looked from one to the other.  
  
"You two were whispering at length," Kirk continued as he placed his  
fists on his hips in his best Alpha male stance. "Is there a  
conspiracy brewing?"  
  
Spock was about to answer when he caught "that look" on Kirk's  
face. As his mother would say, someone was pulling his leg.  
  
"Not at this time," Spock countered.  
  
"Well, then," Kirk replied, "let's get back to work, shall we?"  
  
Spock replied with a curt nod as he returned to his post.  
  
"Yes, sir," Uhura replied meekly, even though she was practically  
burning with curiosity. 1800 hours couldn't come fast enough.  
  
When Uhura entered the Rec Room, she found Spock sitting at a corner  
table, an air of "Do not approach me, I am working" surrounding him.  
  
Uhura knew better. Grabbing a large mug of soup, she ventured right  
up to his table.  
  
"Is this seat taken?" she purred.  
  
"It is now," he answered in greeting, clearing away some of the  
clutter he had strategically placed to save a seat without looking  
like he was saving a seat. Spock pulled out the chair for Uhura.  
  
"Your mama taught you well, kind sir," she said playfully.  
  
"Indeed," Spock agreed.  
  
Uhura sipped at her soup, trying to be calm and patient. Spock  
nearly jumped when she suddenly leaned forward in her seat.  
  
"I can't stand it!" Uhura whispered fiercely. "Who is it?"  
  
Spock reluctantly pushed a padd to her, but did not release it.  
  
"I prefer not to say," he said in a low voice. "I think it is  
evident in these lyrics, but instead of guessing who it is, I'd  
rather you just rate the lyrics on their own merit."  
  
Uhura eagerly took the padd and began reading. Spock studied her  
facial expressions, which quickly went from a smile to a frown. She  
returned the padd. Spock waited.  
  
"So?" he prompted.  
  
"Well, my mama told me, 'If you can't say anything nice, don't  
say  
anything at all.'"  
  
Spock sat back.  
  
"They were that bad?"  
  
"Honestly?" Uhura asked. Spock nodded. "They were awful," she  
replied. Spock slumped in disappointment.  
  
"Then how do you suggest I proceed?" he asked in a small voice.  
  
Uhura leaned forward, placed one arm on the table, and got into her  
lecture mode.  
  
"Let's look at lyric styles," she began. "Lyrics can convey a  
message, or tell a story. The story could be told in a linear  
fashion or in a circular fashion."  
  
"Circular?" Spock asked. "Can you cite an example?" Uhura thought  
a moment.  
  
"Look at the creation story in Genesis. This story has a refrain  
that denotes the progression of time," Uhura continued. "'Evening  
came and morning followed, the next day,'" she quoted.  
  
"A linear story is one that has a beginning, middle and end," Uhura  
continued.  
  
"Like historical facts?" Spock interjected. Uhura nodded.  
  
"Or even like, 'O My Darlin' Clementine,'" she added. "The song  
describes Clementine, tells about how she fell into the water and  
drowned, and how the narrator feels about it."  
  
Uhura looked up at Spock. The Vulcan seemed lost and dazed.  
  
"Let's try another approach," she said, shifting in her  
seat. "Think of her name."  
  
"Clementine?" he asked.  
  
"No, silly," she replied, "your ... the recipient of this song."  
Uhura gave Spock a moment.  
  
"I am not very romantic," Spock observed.  
  
"Why would you say a thing like that?" Uhura countered.  
  
"Because I just thought of her full name, rank, and position on this  
ship," Spock replied, dejected. "Her latest performance review  
report came to mind."  
  
"Hmm," Uhura replied. "You're right. Not romantic at all." She  
tapped a perfect fingernail on the table. "Try this. Picture her  
in your mind."  
  
"Clothed or unclothed?"  
  
"WHAT?!" Uhura breathed. "Have you already seen her unclothed?"  
Looking up, she caught "that look" in Spock's eye and knew he was  
teasing her. She gently punched his arm in response. "Picture her  
however you wish," she said softly, adding under her breath, "you  
naughty boy!" She leaned closer and nearly whispered, "Why are you  
attracted to her? Does she have a beautiful face and body? Does  
she have more of an inner beauty? Is it another quality about her  
that draws you to her?"  
  
Uhura sat back and watched Spock think. Except for a narrowing of  
his dark eyes, his face was frozen in thought.  
  
"She is very brave," Spock said at last, "and very gentle." He took  
a breath. "As to her beauty..."  
  
Uhura moved her soup mug so she could lean even closer.  
  
"...she is aesthetically pleasing."  
  
Uhura sat back. That must be how a Vulcan refers to something  
beautiful. It didn't sound romantic either.  
  
"Do you think she harbors feelings for you, Mr. Spock?" Uhura asked  
dreamily, leaning her head in her hand. Spock nodded.  
  
"She told me she loved me long ago," he answered.  
  
"Long ago?" Uhura repeated. "What took you so long to write this  
song?" Spock shifted in his seat.  
  
"When she made this declaration," he murmured, "I was not ... free  
to  
accept her feelings."  
  
"You were still engaged to be married," Uhura observed. Spock  
nodded.  
  
"We have been circling each other ever since then," he replied.  
Uhura lurched forward.  
  
"Write down 'circling,'" she said suddenly. Spock opened a new page  
and wrote the words as directed.  
  
"Why am I doing this?" Spock asked as he complied.  
  
"Just looking for inspiration," Uhura answered. "Go on. Tell me  
more about her. Are you friends?"  
  
Spock considered this for a while.  
  
"We are not friends in the same sense that the captain and I are  
friends," he replied at last. "However, we behave in a friendly  
manner toward one another."  
  
"Hmm," Uhura replied again. "I'm not convinced, but write  
down 'friends.'" Spock bent to his padd again. "Did you know her  
before she came aboard?" Spock shook his head. "So you met her in  
space?"  
  
Spock looked at Uhura, his head tilted to one side.  
  
"Should I write 'in space,' maestro?" he asked with a small smirk.  
Uhura smiled.  
  
"Now you're getting the idea!" she beamed. Uhura took the list and  
looked over the four words written on it. "There's not much here to  
work with," she murmured. "Tell me, Spock, why are you pursuing a  
relationship with her now?" Spock shrugged.  
  
"It was only logical," he replied. Suddenly two heads popped up at  
the table. Spock reached for the padd just as Uhura was shoving it  
in his direction.  
  
"It was only logical," he wrote.  
  
"That sounds like a promising title," Uhura commented.  
  
Spock didn't hear her. He was moving words around on the padd's  
little screen. "In space" soon became "between the stars."  
  
Ignored, Uhura sipped at her mug one more time. Its contents had  
gotten cold. She got up, went back to the replicators and reheated  
her soup.  
  
In the meantime, Spock was busy at work. The song seemed to be  
writing itself, following an ABABCCAB pattern, but Spock felt that  
something was missing. He needed one word, one syllable ...  
  
"Aaah!" Uhura sighed in satisfaction after she tasted her reheated  
soup.  
  
"Ah!" Spock added to the song. His burgeoning relationship left him  
feeling very satisfied. "Ah!" suited him - and the song - quite  
nicely.  
  
Spock reached under the table and pulled up his Vulcan lyrette. He  
plucked a few notes, scribbled a notation on the padd, plucked a few  
more notes, and made more notations.  
  
Uhura finished her soup as she watched him in fascination. A change  
here, another there, and soon Spock was done. He pushed the padd  
back to Uhura as he began to play, humming softly. Uhura followed  
along with the lyrics.  
  
"How beautiful!" Uhura breathed as she brushed away a tear. "Chris  
is going to love it!"  
  
"Chris?" Spock questioned. Uhura's mouth dropped open.  
  
"Isn't this for Christine Chapel?" she asked.  
  
"Yes it is," Spock answered. "Was it that obvious?" Uhura looked  
at the padd again.  
  
"Not by your lyrics," she answered, "but by your earlier story."  
  
"Should I make any changes?" Spock asked. Uhura read the short song  
again.  
  
"Oh, don't change a word," she breathed. "It's perfect."  
  
Suddenly, Uhura put down the padd and placed her fists on her hips.  
  
"I'm terribly jealous, Mr. Spock," Uhura stated in mock annoyance.  
Spock looked at her in shock. "Remember that your second song is  
promised to me." Spock sat back.  
  
"Don't expect anything like this, Lieutenant," he replied with a  
twinkle.  
  
"Of course not," Uhura replied. "I expect my song to be written for  
me to sing, something that will challenge my vocal capabilities.  
Something as darkly beautiful as I."  
  
Spock sat back with his harp on his lap, considering Uhura's request  
with a playful look on his face again.  
  
"As my mother also told me, 'Be careful what you wish for,'" he  
replied. "You may just get it."  
  
It was several days later when everything was arranged just so –  
no  
emergencies, no schedule conflicts, and – best of all for Spock  
–  
no witnesses.  
  
Uhura lured Christine Chapel to an empty observation lounge. The  
ship was passing through a spectacular region of space – the  
Cat's  
Eye Nebula (NGC 6543). Sitting in the center of the room was Spock,  
holding his lyrette, dressed in a dark Vulcan robe. Uhura  
disappeared into the shadows as Christine neared Spock.  
  
Uhura couldn't hear the soft words Spock said to Christine, so she  
tried to imagine them.  
  
Just then Spock picked up his harp and began to play as he sang  
these words:  
  
IT WAS ONLY LOGICAL  
  
It was only logical  
That we should meet between the stars.  
It was only logical  
That we would be more than friends  
Lonely journeys, lonely paths  
Always searching, circling—Ah!  
It was only logical  
That I should take – you – in – my – arms.  
  
Uhura slipped out of the room as Spock laid aside his harp and  
gathered Christine into a long-awaited embrace. Uhura took once  
last peek as the doors closed and saw Spock and Christine pull back  
enough to find each others' lips with their own in a deep,  
satisfying kiss.  
  
"Aaah!"  
  
FIN


End file.
